The Dog Ate my Homework

Well, not really; it just feels that way. I have not posted anything in over three weeks, and I have all kinds of excuses. Life at home has been especially busy. Two of my partners at work just finished an almost 3-week trial. The kids have been sick. Karen has a sinus infection; and, oh yeah, the dog has been sick. You get the idea.

This is a recipe that I have not tried on the BGE, but it is great. Once I get some of that cool Emile Henry flame cookware that Big T talks about (Christmas sure is a long way away), I will try some of my non-egg tested recipes on the Egg. For now, here are some great nachos, Rachel Ray’s Super Nachos.

I promise not to be gone so long this time.

Rachel Ray Super Nachos

Ingredients:

2 bags corn tortilla chips in 2 colors or different flavors

PICO DE GALLO SALSA:

4 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1/4 cup, 2 handfuls, cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Salt

BEEF AND BEANS TOPPING:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ground sirloin

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dark chili powder

1 1/2 ground cumin

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained

CHEESE SAUCE:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

3/4 pound pepper jack cheese, shredded, about 2 1/2 cups

ADDITIONAL TOPPING TO CHOOSE FROM

Sour cream

Chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS:

Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Add oil, garlic, onion and peppers to the pan and saute 2 minutes, then add meat and crumble it.

Add salt, chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper sauce.

Cook 5 minutes, then stir in beans and reduce heat to low.

In a pot, melt the butter and add flour to it.

Cook the flour and butter 1 to 2 minutes over moderate heat, then whisk in milk.

When the milk begins to bubble, stir in cheese with a wooden spoon.

Remove cheese sauce from the heat.

Spread the cheese sauce, beef and beans, and pico over the chips.

For a lower calorie, spicier take on this, leave off the cheese sauce and sour cream, and use fewer chips.